Forcing No Trump

Introduction

When a player opens 1-major suit and there is no intervening bid, then the responding partner may use the forcing 1 No Trump bid. The forcing 1 No Trump response shows 6-12 points, so the responder needs another bid to clarify point count and trump support. Under most circumstances, the opener is required to bid again.

Forcing No Trump redefines the limited jump raise that shows trump support and 10-12 points. It also allows for a narrower definition of a 2-level response, which can be redefined as showing 13 or more points. It makes the 2-bid response a game forcing bid instead of an invitational bid.

The forcing No Trump bid as an integral part of the 2 over 1 bidding convention in which a 2-bid in a lower ranking suit by the responder shows 13+ points. The Forcing No Trump convention works with the 2 over 1 bidding convention when the opening bid is 1-major suit. When the forcing No Trump applies, then a 2-bid of a lower ranking suit must contain at least 13 points.

This lesson presents a simplified version of the Forcing No Trump convention, so that a new user can become familiar with the convention enough to learn its more subtle options incrementally.

The forcing No Trump conventions are based on material in https://kwbridge.com/1ntforce.htm.

Comparing Forcing No Trump with Traditional Bids

Each bid has a purpose. The purpose of a single raise, for example, is to show that your hand has only 6-9 points and is probably not strong enough for a game bid. Comparing the purposes of each bid in the limited raise sequence with the forcing No Trump sequence will show the advantages of the forcing No Trump and help in the usage of the new convention.

In the following comparison, assume that the opener has opened 1 ♥, and the sequence starts with the responder’s bids.

The bids and purposes of the limited raise are as follows:

Responder shows a minimum hand by responding 2 ♥, showing 6-9 points. The opener would pass with less than 17 points, invite with 17-19 points, and raise to game with 20+ points. Responder shows an invitational hand by responding with a limited raise of 3 ♥, showing 3-card support and 10-12 points. The opener would pass with less than 14 points, raise to game with 14-19 points, and explore slam with 19+ points. Responder shows an invitational hand with 10+ points by responding with a 2 bid in a lower ranking suit. The opener must bid to give the responder might have enough points to make a game bid.

The bids and purposes of the forcing No Trump are as follows:

As with the limited raise. responder shows a minimum hand by responding 2 ♥, showing 6-9 points. The opener would pass with less than 17 points, invite with 17-19 points, and raise to game with 20+ points. Similar to the limited raise, responder shows an invitational hand by responding with a 3 ♥, but shows 4-card support and 10-12 points. The opener would pass with less than 14 points, raise to game with 14-19 points, and explore slam with 19+ points. Responder shows either a minimum hand or an invitational hand by bidding 1 No Trump. Responder’s next bid will clarify the 1 No Trump hand. The 1 NT response gives the opener the opportunity to further describe the opening hand as minimum hand (12-15 points), medium strength hand (15-18 points), or very strong hand (19+ points), which gives the responder a clearer picture of the game potential between the two hands. After bidding 1 NT, responder shows an invitational hand with 3-card support with the limited raise of 3 ♥, or by raising a minor suit bid, or by bidding 2 NT. Responder shows a game forcing hand with 13+ points by responding with a 2 bid in a lower ranking suit.

When to Use Forcing 1 No Trump

The forcing No Trump shows 6-12 points when your partner opens with 1-major suit (♥ or ♠), and the intervening player passes.

The No Trump response is forcing in all cases except as shown below when the first bidder hould interpret the No Trump response as showing 6-9 points:

Responder’s Bids when Forcing No Trump Applies

When the 1-No Trump bid is forcing, the responder’s bidding options are as follows:

With less than 6 points, pass. With 6-9 points and 3-card Trump support, bid 2-major suit. With 10-12 points and 4-card Trump support, bid 3-major suit. With 10-12 points and 3-card Trump support, bid forcing 1-No Trump. With 6-12 points and no support for the opening suit: With a 4-card suit biddable at the 1-level, bid the suit. With no 4-card suit biddable at the 1-level, bid forcing 1-No Trump. With 13+ points, bid 2-lower ranking suit. This bid does not guarantee a 4-card suit. Otherwise, make an appropriate bid.

Opener’s Response to Forcing No Trump

A forcing No Trump bid sets the stage for the next bid by the responder. In a waiting mode, the opener should show a more specific point range while indicating more details about the suit distribution.

The opener may make the following responses to a forcing No Trump bid:

Responder Rebids after Forcing No Trump

In this case, your partner has opened 1-major suit, and you have responded 1 No Trump. This section will not help you if your response was any other bid.

After bidding the forcing No Trump, the responder must show the normal opener its strengths and ensure that game or slam is reached when the opener shows a stronger than normal hand.

The responder may make the following rebids after bidding forcing No Trump:

6-9 points. Note: At the 6-9 point level, responder doesn’t have support for a 12-15 point opening hand. Most of the time, the responder passes, but may rebid the opener’s opening suit at the 2-level with 2-card support. If the opener bid 2-minor suit, you may pass with 4-card support. If the opener bid 2 ♥ after opening 1 ♠, pass with 3-card support. It the opener shows more than 15 points, the responder may invite to game with 8-9 HCP. 10-12 points. and the opener shows 12-15 points. Note: With 8-12 points, all bids are at least invitational. 3-opener’s major suit shows 3-card support. Raising partner’s major-suit rebid shows 2-card support. Raising partner’s minor suit rebid shows a 5-card suit. Without support in partner’s suit, consider inviting with 2 NT. 10-12 points. and the opener shows 15+ points. 4-opener’s major suit shows 3-card support. 4-opener’s second suit shows 4-card support. 3 No Trump shows 10 HCP.

Bidding Example

The South hand Opens 1♠. Each North hand responds according to the forcing No Trump convention. This example shows the bids by North and the South rebids.

The South hand has 14 HCP and 15 points overall. The North hand-1 has 7 HCP and 8 points overall. The combined points in the two hands are 21 HCP and 23 points, not enough points for a game bid.

The bidding omits East and West. If South starts the bidding, it might go as follows:

The South hand has 14 HCP and 15 points overall. The North hand-2 has 9 HCP and 11 points overall. The combined points in the two hands are 24 HCP and 26 points, enough points for a game bid.

The bidding omits East and West. If South starts the bidding, it might go as follows:

South North-2 Comments 1 ♠ 1 NT North-2 is in the 10-12 point range with trump support — enough for an invitation to game. 2 ♣ 3 ♠ With a solid, minimum hand and a possible invitation, South needs more information. 4 ♠ Pass North’s 3 ♠ bid shows 10-12 points and 4 ♠. South has enough to bid game.

The South hand has 14 HCP and 15 points overall. The North hand-3 has 10 HCP and 12 points overall. The combined points in the two hands are 24 HCP and 27 points, enough points for a game bid.

The bidding omits East and West. If South starts the bidding, it might go as follows:

South North-3 Comments 1 ♠ 1 NT North-3 is in the 10-12 point range without trump support, but not enough good HCP for an invitation to game. 2 ♣ Pass South asks about an invitation to game, but North-3 declines.

Review Questions

Some questions have more than one correct answer.

Use these hands to answer the next 9 questions.

The South hand has 14 HCP and bids 1 ♥. The following 3 questions applies to the bidding of North hand 1.

1. What is North Hand 1’s first response?

2. What is South’s response to North 1’s bid?

3. What is North 1’s rebid?

4. What is North 2’s response to South’s is South’s bid of 1 ♥?

5. What is South’s response to North 2’s bid?

6. What is North 3’s response to South’s opening bid of 1 ♥?

7. What is South’s response to North 3’s bid?

8. What is North 3’s response to South’s bid?

9. What is South’s Response North 3’s bid?

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